Bob’s Story

Site created on March 23, 2014

For about six weeks, Bob had a pain in his lower right abdomen.  At first, it was suspected that he had a kidney stone, but a c-scan showed it was likely diverticulitis.  He was put on antibiotics and his pain lessened for about 10 days.  When it came back, it was more severe than before so the doctors scheduled a colonoscopy for February 18.  During his prep for that, the pain became so severe that we went to the emergency room around midnight.  They did another c-scan which initially showed "something" and he was admitted into the hospital around 4 AM.  Upon further study of the c-scan, they saw a growth in the early part of the colon and an "angry" section of small intestine.  By 7 AM, they were talking surgery and the potential for it being cancerous.  By 3 PM on the 18th, we were in the surgical prep room and they were telling us that they were 95% certain it was cancer.

Bob's surgery went well.  They removed 12" of inflamed small intestine and about a third of his colon, along with much surrounding tissue and 27 lymph nodes.  The tumor itself was the size of a baseball which they were able to remove in it's entirety.  Out of the 27 lymph nodes, 4 tested positive for cancer making it a Stage 3 colon cancer diagnosis.  The surgeon said he was about a day away from his small intestine perforating because of the tumor.  

Because it was Stage 3, Bob will begin chemo treatments on Friday, March 28.  There is concern that a cancer cell or more got away and is somewhere else in his body, especially since there was evidence in his lymph nodes.  The chemo should take care of any of those.

We have had so many people ask for updates and suggest we do a CaringBridge site, that we decided to do that.  We appreciate all the prayers.  God has been our strength during this time and we have definitely felt others praying for us.  


Newest Update

June 27, 2019

Journal entry by Bob and Marilyn Mack —

First, we want to thank you for your outpouring of love. Bob was our hero and we loved him beyond what words can describe. But hearing how his life impacted so many has been amazing. Some have privately shared with us the funniest stories about your interaction or encounter with him. We have loved them. They make us laugh and cry all at the same time. How healing it is for his family and great for his grandchildren to hear. So we thank you!

Bob’s Celebration service will be on Saturday, July 6, at 11 a.m. at Autumn Ridge Church in Rochester. There will a visitation one hour prior to that and also visitation on Friday, July 5, 5 - 7 p.m. in the Autumn Ridge Church Timothy Chapel. 

Bob asked that all memorial gifts be used to build a chapel in the Dominican Republic in the summer of 2020. So that’s what we will do. He loved the DR and doing whatever God put in front of him there. He has been there many, many times building chapels in villages where the congregation had been praying for years to have one. It is fitting to honor Bob this way. 

Thank you again for your outpouring of love. 
Read More of the journal titled "June 27, 2019"
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